The caddies claim that the value of the advertising on the bibs is approximately $50 million annually. Caddies receive none of that revenue. The plaintiffs state that they never consented to the PGA Tour's commercial use of their likenesses and images.

An example of the bib that professional caddies wear on the golf course.

Caddies are not employed by the PGA Tour (they are employed by the golfers that they assist) and the PGA Tour's regulations ostensibly allow caddies to endorse sponsors of their choosing. However, the complaint alleges that the PGA Tour has threatened to lean on the players if the caddies did not wear the bibs.

"PGA Tour has contacted tour players to determine whether players would be willing to terminate their agreements with caddies who refuse to wear the bibs," the complaint says.

Named plaintiff William Michael "Mike" Hicks is leading the charge against the PGA Tour as the plaintiffs' proposed class representative. Hicks has been a professional golf caddy for roughly 30 years and has worked for professional golfers Payne Stewart, Greg Norman, Steve Stricker, Justin Leonard and Josh Teater.

As a sidebar, the complaint also claims that the PGA Tour has treated caddies as "second-class participants of the game" of golf. It details an incident during The
Barclays golf tournament in 2013 when a rain delay caused caddies and their families to seek shelter. However, caddies' wives and children were not allowed into the shelter designated for caddies despite ample space remaining therein.

The plaintiffs' lawyers have informed me that they are filing a separate motion seeking an injunction against the PGA Tour from retaliation against caddies. According to the lawyers, threats have been made and/or implied that caddies who push the issue will lose their credentials.